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Allaah - the Most High -
said:
"The good deed and the evil
deed cannot be equal. Repel evil with that which is better; then indeed,
he between whom and you there was enmity, will become as though he was a
close friend." [Soorah Fussilat 41:34].
Imaam as-Sa'dee (d. 1376H)-
rahimahullaah - said: "Not equal are acts of goodness and
obedience, which are done to earn the pleasure of Allaah; and acts of evil
and disobedience, that bring about the anger of Allaah, and not His good
pleasure. Likewise. not equal are those acts of goodness and kindness that
are done towards the creation, and those acts of evil done against them -
neither in their nature, their characteristics, nor in their rewards:
"Is not the reward for good acts, goodness." Then, a particular,
but important act of ihsaan (goodness and kindness) is commanded,
which is: showing ihsaan towards the one who has ill-treated you;
because Allaah commanded to repel evil with that which is better. This
means that whenever you are ill-treated by anyone from amongst the
creation - in particular those that have great rights over you; such as
relatives, friends, and their like - then return their ill-treatment of
you with acts of kindness and goodness towards them. Thus, if you have
been cut-off from then seek to join the ties of relation; if you have been
oppressed, then be forgiving; if you have been spoken ill of, either in
your presence or behind your back, then do not retaliate, but rather be
forgiving and speak to them with mild and soft words; if you have been
boycotted and abandoned, then continue speaking to those who have done so,
with good words, and continue giving them the greetings of salaam.
So if you return acts of evil with acts of ihsaan (goodness and
kindness), then you will indeed acquire a tremendous benefit."1
Consider also, the following
incident.
'Aaishah radiallaahu'anhaa
said:
I asked the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam: O
Allaah's Messenger, has there ever been a day more severe upon you than
the day of Uhud? So he said: "Your tribe troubled me greatly,
and the most troublesome thing which I experienced from them was on the
day of 'Aqabah when I presented myself to Ibn 'Abd Yaaleel ibn 'Abd Kulaal, and he did not respond to my Message as I had hoped. So I returned
overwhelmed with grief and sorrow, and did not recover until I reached
Qarnuth-Tha'aalib. I raised my head and saw a cloud shading me. Then I
looked and saw (the Angel) Jibreel in it, and he called me saying. Allaah
has heard what your people have said to you, and their reply. And Allaah
has sent the Angel of the mountains to you to do whatever you wish. So the
Angel of the mountains called me, greeted me with Salaam; and then said. O
Muhammad. Allaah has heard what your people said to you, and I am the
Angel of the mountains. My Lord has sent me to you, that you may order me
as you wish. So what do you wish? If you should so wish, I will crush them
beneath the two mountains." So Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam said: "No, rather hope that from their offspring
will come who will worship Allaah alone, and not worship anything else
along with Him."2
Ibn Abee Haatim (d.328H) -
rahimahullaah - said:
"I entered Damascus and came upon the
students of hadeeth, and I passed by the circle of Qaasim al-Joo'ee
(d.248H). I found a group sitting around him and he was speaking. Their
appearance amazed me; and I heard him saying: "Seize the benefit of five
things from the people of your time: when you are present, you are not
known; when you are absent, you are not missed; when you are seen, your
advice is not sought; when you say something, your saying is not accepted;
and when you have some knowledge, you are not given anything for it. I
also advise you with five matters: when you are treated unjustly, do not
behave unjustly; when you are praised, do not become happy; when you are
criticised, do not become upset; when you are not believed, do not become
angry; and if people act deceitfully towards you, do not act deceitfully
towards them." Ibn Abee Haatim said: So I took that as my benefit from
Damascus."3
1. Tayseerul-Kareemur-Rahmaan
(p.695).
2. Related by al-Bukhaaree (no.3231) and Muslim
(no.1795).
3. Related by Ibn al-Jawzee in Sifatus-Safwaa
(2/200). |